Tool for removing and replacing integrated circuit flat pack modules

ABSTRACT

A plierlike device having opposing jaws formed with complemental recesses to receive and clampingly hold the body of a module. The jaws are also formed with aligned slots which separate them into aligned jaw members, the jaw members being spaced so as to fit in spaces between connector prongs of the module body while the prongs project outwardly from the jaws through the slots.

United States Patent Inventor William M. Halstead P.O. Box 195, Linthicum Heights, Md. 21090 Appl. No. 778,440

Filed Nov. 25, 1968 Patented Sept. 7, 1971 TOOL FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT FLAT PACK MODULES 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 29 203 u, 29/206, 8115.] 1-1, 81/419 Int. Cl 11031- 43 00, B25b 7 00, B25b 7 02 Field of Search 29 203 11,

203 l-IM, 206; 8l/5.l R, 419

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 356,657 1/1887 Melhorn... 8l/419X 749,110 1/1904 Spangler... 81/419 X 206,482 7/1878 Poole 81/419X 2,842,997 7/1958 Wentling 81/51 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,355,932 2/1964 France 29/203 H Primary ExaminerTravis S. McGehee Assistant Examiner-Robert I... Spruill Att0rneysMunson H. Lane and Munson l-I. Lane, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A plierlike device having opposing jaws formed with complemental recesses to receive and clampingly hold the body of a module. The jaws are also formed with aligned slots which separate them into aligned jaw members, the jaw members being spaced so as to fit in spaces between connector prongs of the module body while the prongs project outwardly from the jaws through the slots.

PATENTEIJSEP n97: 3.602.971

FIG.5.

. INVENTOR William M. Holsteod ATTORNEY TOOL FOR REMOVING AND REPLACING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT FLAT PACK MODULES This invention relates to new and useful improvements in special tools which are particularly adapted to handle special work, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a tool for removing and replacing integrated circuit flat pack modules on printed circuit boards. In miniaturized and microminiaturized installations of electronic equipment it is customary to utilize flat pack modules which have five, seven, eight or more pairs of connector prongs projecting from the module body, such prongs being inserted into sockets in a printed circuit board. Because of the small size, it is very difficult to grasp a module with ones fingers during installation or removal, particularly since due care must be taken to assure that the connector prongs do not become bent or otherwise misaligned. Thus, module removal and replacement is a complicated procedure which requires high skill and dexterity, as well as a considerable amount of time. The invention eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages by the provision of a plierlike tool having opposing jaws which are especially adapted to receive and clampingly hold the body of a module while the pairs of connector prongs of the module project outwardly through slots in the jaws. Thus, the module may be simply and easily held by the tool during removal or replacement, particularly in hard to reach locations, and the danger of bending or otherwise misaligning the connector prongs of the module is greatly minimized.

As such, the tool of the invention is simple in construction, easy to use even by relatively unskilled persons, and lends itself to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the tool of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typical module with which the tool may be used;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of the jaws of the tool, also showing by dotted lines a module held thereby;

- FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in FIG. 3; and

' FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a tool with a somewhat modified jaw arrangement.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, one embodiment of the tool of the invention is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The tool is a plierlike device, embodying a pair of coacting handles 11 which are pivotally connected together as at 12 are provided with a pair of opposing jaws 13. The latter are especially adapted for handling an integrated circuit flat pack module during its removal from or replacement on a printed circuit board.

A typical module 14 is shown in FIG. 2, the same comprising an elongated body 15 which is provided at its opposite sides with longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced connector prongs 16, these prongs being inserted in sockets of a printed circuit board (not shown).

As shown the opposite outer wall surfaces 50, 50 of the tool are substantially flat and parallel when the pliers are closed and extend from their juncture with the handles 11, 11 substantially to the outer extremity of the tool.

In order to accommodate the module 14, the jaws 13 of the tool are provided with complemental, opposing recesses 17 which, when the jaws are closed, from a space for reception of the module body 15, it being understood that the module is clampingly held by the jaws in the closed position of the latter, as will be apparent from FIG. 3.

Also the jaws 13 are formed with aligned parallel slots or notches 18 extending substantially at right angles to the planes of the outer wall surfaces 50, 50 of the jaws; which communicate with the recesses 17 and separate the jaws into a plurality of aligned substantially parallel platclike jaw members 13a. These jaw members'or fingers are spaced apart by the slots 18 and are in the form of spaced parallel plates 52, 52 which extend from the outer wall surfaces 50, 50 to the arcuate recesses 17, 17 so that they fit into spaces between the pairs of connector prongs 16 when the module 14 is held'by the jaws, while the prongs 16 project outwardly from the jaws through the slots 18, as will be clearly apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4. Accordingly, the module 14 may be simply and easily held and manipulate by the tool of the invention during removal or replacement of the module, and since the jaw members 1311 are disposed in spaces between the connector prongs of the module, the prongs are effectively safeguarded against bending or some other misalignment. It will be also noted that the jaw members 13a have a tapered or a wedge-shaped profile, terminating in pointed extremities 13b, as is best shown in FIG. 3. As shown particularly in FIG. 3 of the drawings the two jaw members 13a and 1311 include outer portions 130, 13c inclined toward each other and toward the internal recesses when the jaws are moved toward the closed position and form a notched portion V. The inner portions 13d, 13d of the jaws are shown as curved to conform generally to the curvature of the recessed portions 17, 17. The wedge-shaped profile of the jaws as above described. This is of particular importance during removal of a module from the printed circuit board, inasmuch as when the jaws of the tool are being brought together, the wedge-shaped jaw members 13a are pressed between the circuit board and the module, causing the latter to move away from the board and withdrawing the module connector prongs from the circuit board sockets. For this purpose, the jaw recesses 17 are sufficiently large to permit a certain amount of movement of the module body 15 therein, in the direction of the tool handle pivot 12, whereby the module prongs maybe at least partially withdrawn from their sockets in the circuit board, while the jaws of the tool remain in abutment with the board and the module itself moves somewhat in the jaw recesses 17.

As already indicated, the module 14 may have a large number of pairs of connector prongs, and preferably, the tool 10 is made so that several of the slots 18 and jaw members 13a are afforded in each of the jaws 13, so that an aligned pair of the jaw members 13a may fit into the space between two adjacent pairs of connector prongs 16 of the module, along a substantial group of such pairs of prongs. However, if desired the arrangement of the tool may be simplified as shown in FIG. 5, wherein each of the tool jaws 23 has only two, widely spaced jaw members 230, separated by a wide slot 18a which is wide enough so that the jaw members 23a may span several of the pairs of connecting prongs 16 of the module 14, without necessarily interposing jaw members between two adjacent pairs of connecting prongs, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 3 and 4. In any event, the spacing of the jaw members corresponds to the longitudinal spacing of the pairs of prongs on the module, so that the jaw members may be received in spaced between the pairs of prongs, as already explained. The entire tool is preferably formed from any suitable material which is electrically nonconductive, so that there is no danger of short-circuiting if the tool is applied to work under closed circuit conditions. On the other hand, if the tool is made of metal, the handles 11 may be provided with covering of insulating material. Also, the handles may be resiliently biased to urge the jaws of the tool to an open position, if so desired.

I claim:

1. A tool for removing and replacing integrated circuit flat pack modules having an elongated body with longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced connector prongs projecting from opposite sides of said body, said tool comprising a plierlike device including a pair of pivotally connected opposing jaws movable toward and away from each other, said jaws being formed with flat, opposed outer wall surfaces which are substantially parallel to each other when the jaws are closed,

complemental opposing transverse recesses defining a space for reception of a module body so that the latter may be clampingly held in said space between the jaws when the jaws are closed, said jaws also being formed with a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel aligned slots which extend substantially at right angles to the outer wall surfaces and which communicate with said recesses and separate the jaws into a plurality of spaced and aligned parallel jaw members comprising flat plates, the spacing of said plates being such that they may fit into spaces between pairs of connector prongs of a module body while the prongs project outwardly from said jaws through said slots.

2. The tool as defined in claim 1 which is formed from electrically nonconductive material.

3. A tool for removing and replacing integrated circuit flat pack modules having an elongated body with longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced connector prongs projecting from opposite sides of said body, said tool comprising a plierlike device including a pair of pivotally connected opposing jaws movable toward and away from each other, said jaws being formed with curved complemental opposing recesses defining a space for reception of a module body so that the latter may be clampingly held in said space between the jaws when the jaws are closed, said jaws also being formed with aligned slots which communicate with said recesses and separate the jaws into spaced and aligned jaw members, the spacing of said jaw members being such'that they may fit into spaces between pairs of connector prongs of a module body while the prongs project outwardly from said jaws through said slots said jaw members having wedge shaped profiles which terminate in pointed extremities, the inner portions of said extremities being curved to conform to the curvature of said recesses and the outer portions inclining inwardly toward the recesses so as to form a V-shaped notch in the jaws approaching the closed position, the jaw recesses being of sufficient size with reference to the size of the module to allow movement of the module bodily therein whereby as the jaws are pressed between a circuit bar and a module, the module is moved away from the circuit bar sockets. 

1. A tool for removing and replacing integrated circuit flat pack modules having an elongated body with longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced connector prongs projecting from opposite sides of said body, said tool comprising a plierlike device including a pair of pivotally connected opposing jaws movable toward and away from each other, said jaws being formed with flat, opposed outer wall surfaces which are substantially parallel to each other when the jaws are closed, complemental opposing transverse recesses defining a space for reception of a module body so that the latter may be clampingly held in said space between the jaws when the jaws are closed, said jaws also being formed with a plurality of pairs of spaced parallel aligned slots which extend substantially at right angles to the outer wall surfaces and which communicate with said recesses and separate the jaws into a plurality of spaced and aligned parallel jaw members comprising flat plates, the spacing of said plates being such that they may fit into spaces between pairs of connector prongs of a module body while the prongs project outwardly from said jaws through said slots.
 2. The tool as defined in claim 1 which is formed from electrically nonconductive material.
 3. A tool for removing and replacing integrated circuit flat pack modules having an elongated body with longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced connector prongs projecting from opposite sides of said body, said tool comprising a plierlike device including a pair of pivotally connected opposing jaws movable toward and away from each other, said jaws being formed with curved complemental opposing recesses defining a space for reception of a module body so that the latter may be clampingly held in said space between the jaws when the jaws are closed, said jaws also being formed with aligned slots which communicate with said recesses and separate the jaws into spaced and aligned jaw members, the spacing of said jaw members being such that they may fit into spaces between pairs of connector prongs of a module body while the prongs project outwardly from said jaws through said slots said jaw members having wedge shaped profiles which terminate in pointed extremities, the inner portions of said extremities being curved to conform to the curvature of said recesses and the outer portions inclining inwardly toward the recesses so as to form a V-shaped notch in the jaws approaching the closed position, the jaw recesses being of sufficient size with reference to the size of the module to allow movement of the module bodily therein whereby as the jaws are pressed between a circuit bar and a module, the module is moved away from the circuit bar sockets. 